The Yarrowberry Bush
by Tiny Author Life xx
Summary: In the aftermath of a horrible war, a mysterious death, and one crime unsolved... the Clans are divided amongst themselves, and nothing seems right. In the safety of the yarrowberry bush just outside their camp, a young cat finds refuge and comfort in a little cat she thinks is her dead uncle; but it is far more than that... Sequel to The Hanging Tree.
1. Allegiances

**Well... Yeah, here this is. **

**I know I didn't tell any of you directly - but this is the horribly-titled sequel to The Hanging Tree. **

**It's hopefully darker than THT, yet there will be a little bit of happy, maybe sorrow thrown in there... Depends on my mood for writing chapters. **

**Here we go, with the Allegiances!**

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><p><strong>The Yarrowberry Bush<strong>

**A FanFiction by Tiny Author Life xx**

**Sequel to The Hanging Tree**

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><p><em><strong>Allegiances<strong>_

_**- CavernClan - **_

Leader: **Ivystar - gray and black she-cat, yellow eyes **

Deputy: **Fleecefur - fluffy white tom, green eyes**

Medicine Cat: **Talonswipe - black tom, amber eyes**

Warriors:

**Russetflower - dark ginger she-cat, amber eyes**

**Blacktail - white tom with black tail-tip, blue eyes **_[ apprentice : Duskpaw ] _

**Wildfur - brown tabby tom, green eyes**

**Beetletooth - gray-and-white she-cat, green eyes**

**Grasswillow - tabby tom, yellow eyes **_[ apprentice : __Westpaw ]_

**Spikefang - ginger and black tom, green eyes**

**Redfire - dark ginger tom, green eyes**

**Stealthshade - brown and white tom, yellow eyes**

**Shadowwind - black and white she-cat, amber eyes**

**Quailfeather - brown and white she-cat, golden eyes**

Apprentices:

**Westpaw - white she-cat with brown paws, yellow eyes**

**Duskpaw - dark brown tabby tom, amber eyes**

Queens:

**Flamepelt - dark ginger she-cat, blue eyes [ mate of deceased tom ]  
><strong>_[ kits: Willowkit - ginger she-cat with brown ears, Featherkit - soft gray she-cat, Whiskerkit - brown and gray tom ]_

**Whistlebird - dark gray she-cat with a flash of white on forehead, coral blue eyes [ mate of Spikefang ]  
><strong>_[kits: Rustlekit - black and ginger tom, Spiderkit - black and gray tabby she-cat, Jaykit - pale gray she-cat ] _**  
><strong>

Elders:

**Vinestep - brown and black tabby she-cat, yellow eyes**

**Whisperfang - black tom, yellow eyes**

**Larkwing - gray she-cat, amber eyes**

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><p><strong> - FernClan - <strong>

Leader: **Icestar - gray and white tom, blue eyes**

Deputy: **Littleheart - small brown she-cat, amber eyes**

Medicine Cat:** Firefang - ginger she-cat, yellow eyes**

Warriors:

**Grayfur - gray tom, blue eyes**

**Poolcloud - gray and black tabby she-cat, yellow eyes**

**Falconwing - brown tabby tom, yellow eyes**

**Creampelt - cream-furred she-cat, blue eyes**

**Fleckface - gray tom with white flecks, yellow eyes**

**Reedpool - black she-cat with brown paws, green eyes**

**Nightfire - black tom, amber eyes**

**Curlfang - brown and white tom, amber eyes**

**Ducksplash - golden brown tabby she-cat, green eyes**

**Pondwater - gray tom, blue eyes**

Elders:

**Pantherleap - black and gray she-cat, yellow eyes**

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><p><strong>- RoseClan - <strong>

Leader: **Willowstar - gray tabby she-cat, blue eyes**

Deputy: **Goldenfire - golden tabby tom, amber eyes**

Medicine Cat:** Spottedtail - tortoiseshell she-cat, blue eyes **

Warriors:

**Brightfur - pale ginger she-cat, blue eyes**

**Fangslash - brown tabby she-cat with long claws, amber eyes**

**Foxshade - ginger tom, blue eyes**

**Deerstep - pale brown she-cat with white paws, amber eyes**

**Duskshade - brown tom, yellow eyes**

**Gorseflame - white tom, green eyes**

**Blossomtail - tortoiseshell and white she-cat, amber eyes**

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><p><strong>So... Uh, yeah ;-;<strong>

**Hope you liked, and please review, favorite, and follow!**

**The prologue should be out sometime this week - if not, the weekend.**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


	2. Prologue

**Here is the prologue! **

**I'm actually really, really excited! :3**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

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><p><em><strong>- Prologue -<strong>_

_She barely recognized him._

Blood was all over his body; wounds covered his pelt, and his eyes were dull with death.

Never in her life had she thought her brother would die in such a cold, callous way.

She watched as her parents, who sat beside her, rose to their paws. Her father cleared his throat, while her mother spoke through sobs that didn't sound as if she were grieving: "Our son was a noble cat, and we are trying desperately to search for answers as to why he died so early in his life, so shortly after he woke up... He will live on in our hearts and memories..." she trailed off, beginning to sob and whimper like a lost kit.

The dark gray cat let out a growl, leaping to her paws and shouting at her parents without a care in the world; they deserved to know this, to know why he had died so early in his life. "Liars!" she hissed, lashing her tail. "You're not searching - you're grateful that he's dead! You watched him die just a moment ago and didn't even bother to stop him! He was being tortured, and you did nothing to calm him - he died at your benefit, not your sorrow. He'll live not in your hearts or memories, but in the deepest part of your mind; because that's all you'll remember him as: a lost soul, not meant to live such a life as he did."

She sat back, taking in all the shocked gazes of her Clanmates. Ivystar rose to her paws from up on Highstone and even shot the dark gray she-cat a warning glance, daring her not to speak another word.

She didn't, for she was satisfied with what she said.

Her mate's voice whispered fiercely in her ear, "I think it's time you went back to the nursery..."

She fought back a laugh at his attempts to get her to move. "No, Spikefang," she meowed sharply, feeling anger well up in her chest, "I need to say one more thing."

He stepped back from her, shutting his eyes and sighing, knowing that he could do nothing to get her to change her mind.

She rose to her paws again, padding towards her brother's lavender-scented body. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked down upon the brown and gray fur, now soaked with blood and torn a part from claws. "Dashpaw did not die in vein," her voice cracked as she spoke his name; but she didn't care. She needed to get this out, to let the world know her pain and his suffering they kept between them for so long. "He was ready to die, and that's why he leapt into that battle; he knew he wouldn't come out alive, but he didn't care... He was in a coma for one whole season; I stuck by his side for that entire time, and when he woke up I was overjoyed. I knew he was being tortured within his head by the simple movements he made at the slightest touch, crack of a twig, or biting of prey; he was scared of us, of what we were. In his mind he didn't see us as Clanmates; he didn't even see me as his sister for quite sometime after he woke. He saw us all as traitors, as menacing cats for not helping him when he needed it most... He didn't deserve to die, yet he did out of pure honor to himself, his Clan, and the cat he used to love: Stoatpaw. By killing the Hanging Tree that final night, I killed his lover; he hated me for sometime, and perhaps he still does. But at least he died peacefully, at the claws of Flowerstar..."

She padded back from her brother's body, whispering as she left, "I'm sorry, Dashie... I couldn't save you..."

In the distance, she heard the dull call of a bluejay, and knew it was her brother replying:

_You saved me from myself, Whistlebird... Thank you._

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><p><strong>Boring? Yes.<strong>

**Not a lot of things tied up? Yes. **

**BORING? YES. **

**Sorry, guys... I've just drained myself from writing today... I think I'm going to go to sleep and hopefully get some inspiration by the weekend...**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


	3. Part One: Contributuon - Chapter One

**Hi!**

**I've been trying my best to work on this story along with StarClan Forbid - but it's hard ;-;... I know this story is much more demanding/popular, and I'm grateful for that, but SF isn't really getting much publicity; not that it matters, because it doesn't, but I think I may delete that one and post it later, after this series is finished. **

**Without further ado, here we go with the first chapter of The Yarrowberry Bush!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

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><p><em><strong>Part One : Contribution<strong>_

_**- Chapter One -**_

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><p><em>Her life was far from perfect. <em>Though the Clan claimed she had nothing to complain and be hasteful about, as her mother was the Savior from StarClan, supposedly, and her father was just a claw away from being named the Clan deputy. Fleecefur was an old tom, graying with age with each passing moon; every cat knew that he would retire soon, and almost all the cats wished it to be her father.

From the moment she and her siblings were born, they were showered with praise and adortion. Even Ivystar seemed to like her; and Ivystar, young and proud as she was, never seemed to smile at all since her early moons as leader. But the stresses of new leadership passed, and now Ivystar seemed to purr and smile every chance she got.

The Clan absolutely gushed over her siblings and herself, saying things like, "They'll follow in their parents pawsteps, no doubt!" or "Such fine kits! They know right from wrong like the back of their paws!"

Which, in all retrospect, was entirely true.

But the young she-kit often found herself feeling bad for her denmates, who were born just a moon before she and her siblings. They were the daughters and son of Flamepelt and an unknown tom. Many thought it was a rogue at first; but that was until they saw the pelt of the only tom and youngest kit in the litter. His name was Whiskerkit, and overall, the tom was a joyful bundle of fur. His pelt shocked most of the Clan when he was born, and some cats still look at him as if he's a curse brought down by StarClan.

His pelt was almost identical to Dashpaw - the tom who was tortured for most of his life, and ultimately killed by the voices in his head.

But all she remembered him as was her mother's brother - which made him her deceased and insane uncle.

Cats often spoke silently whenever she, her siblings, mother or father would pass by; she knew - in fact, her entire family knew - that whoever was talking quietly was voicing their opinion about Dashpaw. Insanity was something the Clan wasn't used too, and it left them questioning the fact whether he planned his own death or died by accident.

But she strongly believed that her uncle hadn't made the scars and wounds on his pelt himself; no, he had in fact died of the voices in his head.

There hadn't been a Gathering in eight moons; ever since the death of Flowerstar and Quietstar, the new leaders of RoseClan and FernClan hadn't bothered to stop by to arrange a new Gathering. So, Ivystar settled herself as the only leader to host Clan Gatherings - within her own Clan; she allowed the cats that wished to speak up onto Highstone, where they would share news about prey, borders, or anything else they found worth sharing.

Flamepelt, after a short time facing accusations, admitted to being Dashpaw's mate after her mother had killed the Hanging Tree along with Dashpaw's former love, Stoatpaw. The tom had loved her deeply, more so than he appeared to love Stoatpaw - or, at least that's what her mother said. They treated each other like true lovers, and once she annouced to him she was expecting his kits, the tom was immediately asking the medicine cat when she should go into the nursery.

And so now here they were, all four of them sitting out in the moonlight as grass danced between their paws. She sat back in the nursery, watching the ginger-furred mother recieve the cold glares from her Clanmates while her kits ducked their heads in shame.

She wathced the full moon rise to its peak, and Ivystar's call rang around the clearing: "Let all cats that know how to climb gather beneath Highstone for a Clan meeting!"

The young kit blinked for a mere moment, savoring the moment of the full moon; she had never seen one. Thought about them, yes, but had never seen one at such a close proximity.

Her mother's pelt brushed against hers, followed by her siblings'. Her brother, Rustlekit, looked back at her and asked, "Aren't you coming, Spiderkit?"

The said kit nodded meekly, rising to her paws and following her brother out into the darkening clearing. They seated themselves outside the nursery entrance, opposite from Flamepelt and her kits; her father, Spikefang, came to join them a moment later, purring at his mate and kits with love in his green eyes. Whistlebird let out a purr of greeting and rubbed muzzles with him, she and her siblings doing the same while they waited for the Gathering to start.

Ivystar stood proudly at the top of Highstone, her yellow eyes shimmering. Fleecefur stood beside her, wobbling on his paws with his eyes glazed with tiredness and old age. "We gather here tonight under the full moon," Ivystar began, "to discuss anything - if any cat has anything to say, please do not hesitate to do so. This Gathering is for our Clan and our Clan only - no other ears will hear this."

Cats mumbled and muttered amongst themselves, as if they were deciding on what to say. Some threw odd glances towards others at the far end of the clearing, while those who were humble remained fixated on their paws or other cats' eyes.

Spiderkit was shocked to see her father rise to his paws and shout up at Highstone, "Ivystar, if I may speak."

"Of course, Spikefang," Ivystar meowed calmly, seating herself beside a hunched over Fleecefur up on the stone.

Spikefang cleared his throat, flicking his tail behind him as he glanced over his shoulder at Whistlebird. The dark gray queen nodded at her mate, her coral blue eyes blazing; what for, Spiderkit didn't know - but she sensed it was something bad, due to the fact that her own father's eyes were shining with unspoken anger. "I wish to speak for Flamepelt and her kits, along with Whistlebird and my own."

Ivystar leaned forward, her ears pricking. "Proceed, then."

She heard her father sigh, as if centering himself. "We all have experienced life and death in our lives; whether it is a Clanmate or a cat from a different Clan, it doesn't matter - it's still death. We lost one of our own just a few moons ago - a cat that was not meant to die at such a young age...a cat that was not meant to die at the authority of his own mind. We lost him - we lost Dashpaw, and he is never coming back."

Cats's tails drooped, and Ivystar's eyes flashed with remorse yet interest.

"But he's not fully gone - he lives on in the lives of his kits, alongside my own. Dashpaw was a cat that shouldn't have succumbed to the torture he had been through - he shouldn't have died at the mercy of the voices in his head. But the marks on his body, the blood bleeding out of him as he lay on the cold grass that cold leafbare night - that was not his own doing; he did not plan for his death... It just happened to be."

"It hurts," her mother added in, stepping up beside her father. "It always will, really. But I have to live with knowing that I did nothing to save him - to stop him from letting his insanity go too far down, so much to the point where he died. I should have been there - I should have stopped him; I could have done something, but I didn't out of fear of him hurting me or someone I loved. But in the end, it meant nothing; fear didn't control me then as I watched my brother, my own flesh and blood, die right before my eyes. I watched the life pour out of him when I could have done something to help him - if I had, perhaps he'd still be here."

"But he's not," muttered a dark ginger tom; Spiderkit recognized him as the new warrior Redfire.

Whistlebird turned towards him, her fur bristling. "I know that," she said sharply, "and I have to live with knowing that every day of my life, while warriors like you sit around and do nothing but mutter and trash talk about him as if he were a horrible cat!"

"He was. He loved a Dark Forest cat - he loved a murderer." Redfire objected.

"My brother loved her for a short while - but he loved Flamepelt more than he had ever loved Stoatpaw."

"That still doesn't make it right. Who's to say he isn't a murderer himself?"

Whistlebird hissed at the tom, her ears flat to her head. Spiderkit recoiled against her siblings, her heart pounding; if her mother attacked him, the full moon would disappear. "My brother is not a murderer! Don't you dare say that to me, Redfire!" Spiderkit watched as the dark gray queens eyes filled with tears and her voice cracked as she spoke. "He did wrong, yes - but Dashpaw was no criminal. He loved a cat that killed for the sake of her own sanity - that's wrong indeed, but certainly not worthy of a criminal status. So don't you dare sit there and tell me that Dashpaw, my own brother, is a murderer because - StarClan help me - you don't know anything about him."

She turned and padded back into the nursery, Spikefang, Rustlekit and Jaykit in tow. As her mother passed her, she heard her whisper:

"And neither do I..."

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><p><strong>Long? Yes.<strong>

**Boring? Yes.**

**Totally not awesome? Yes.**

**BORING? OH GOD YES.**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


	4. Part One: Contributuon - Chapter Two

**Well, with finals coming up I might not be updating quite as fast/well. Chapters might be short, might be long, I don't know.**

**I tried to give you all the longest chapter I could think of without spoilng a whole bunch... But I'm not sure this is what you - or I - want to read. I might fix it up once finals are over with, but consider this the semi-longest chapter until I'm through with my exams. **

**Sorry. ;-;**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

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><p><em><strong>Part One : Contributuon <strong>_

_**- Chapter Two - **_

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><p><em>"Hey."<em>

The word wasn't supposed to about scare her out of her pelt; but it was so sudden and she was so unprepared that it did exactly that. As she turned to look in the direction the word had come from, she was overwhelmed with anxiety; should she reply, or stay silent? Should she move away, back into the safety of the nursery, or should she remain where she was - vulnerable to any sort of attack?

She decided to go with the latter and said, "Hey."

Above them, the stars twinkled with the afterlife; they both knew their ancestors were above them, watching them now. But that still didn't diminish anything; they remained in the same spot, doing the same task as before: making conversation.

"It's dark out."

She nodded, biting back a hastily-smart retort. "I guess so."

"Shouldn't you be in the nursery?"

She snorted, flicking her tail. "I could ask you the same thing, Duskpaw."

The dark brown tabby let out a chuckle; it was low and warm, and his body barely moved. "I'm an apprentice, Spiderkit - I can stay up as long as I please." he shrugged, nudging the black and gray tabby she-kit with his shoulder, "Besides: I'm on dawn patrol today, so I might as well be up." He let out a playful purr as he turned and scratched behind his ear with his hind paw, "You, however, have a curfew."

"I do not!" Spiderkit mewed indignantly, to which she immediately thought back to what Whistlebird had said to her when she requested to go outside: _be back inside before dawn - I don't want you getting a cold._

That plan had fallen through.

"All kits do," Duskpaw raised one of his white-striped paws and gave it a lick, a small smirk on his face. "Your parents had one, Westpaw had one - heck, even I had one. It's just a natural thing - you have to get sleep if you want to become a good warrior."

"Then why aren't you sleeping?"

The smirk widened, and a playful glint came into his eyes. "I'm already a good warrior; born and raised by Wildfur and Beetletooth - who was your mother's mentor, might I add - I'm well on my way."

"I never realized you were this..." she trailed off, trying to come up with a decent word to describe the dark brown tabby.

"Amazing?" he guessed, twitching his whiskers in amusement. She herself felt her own whiskers twitch out of the same emotion and ducked her head, her ears pinning down against her head.

"More like cocky," Spiderkit joked, this time letting out a purr of joy at the silence that answered her.

After a moment of silence, she heard Duskpaw sigh. Raising her head, she noticed that the dark brown tabby tom had his chin tilted up, looking up at the sky. Spiderkit tipped her head to the side, wondering why he was doing that and then deciding to do the same; feeling as if she were about to topple over, Spiderkit lifted her eyes to the shimmering abyss above her head.

"It's nearly dawn," she commented absentmindedly, taking in how the sky was beginning to lose its dark tint and turn into a light gray color.

"Mmm." was all Duskpaw said in response, and Spiderkit heard his tail swish against the ground.

"I should get back inside," Spiderkit mewled, turning tail and beginning to head back into the nursery. Duskpaw's tail stopped her, and she turned her head, twitching her ears. "What?"

"Goodnight," Duskpaw meowed, unblocking the entrance for her to walk through. His face suddenly flushed, and his eyes got wide as he realized his mistake. "Er... Good morning...I mean."

She shook her head as she padded inside the warm and comforting bramble den and settled beside her mother. Whistlebird let out a purr as she felt Spiderkit's fur brush against her side, and the black and gray tabby she-kit curled up next to Rustlekit and fell into a peaceful sleep.

**;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;**

"Beginning, middle, and end. Tell me all of it - from start to finish."

"But Mom, I -"

Her father's fierce tone cut into the conversation. "Listen to your mother, Spiderkit."

"It was Rustlekit's idea, not mine! Jaykit and I just followed!"

"Was not!" cried Rustlekit from beside Spikefang.

"I did no such thing!" mewled Jaykit, flattening her ears.

Spiderkit rolled her eyes, plunging head-first into the story she was sure to get a mouthful of lecture about later. "We were bored in here, Mom! We had nothing to do but sit and wait for Flamepelt's kits to wake up in order to go outside and play! They ended up not even moving a muscle, and it just made us even more bored! Rustlekit came up with the idea of sneeking out into the forest to help Talonswipe collect herbs, and thinking nothing of it Jaykit and I followed. But then...that patrol found us and brought us back here...and you know the rest."

"Good thing they brought you back," Spikefang growled to his daughter. "Who knows what could have happened if you'd gotten lost?"

"We wouldn't have," grumbled Rustlekit, but a stern look from his parents made the ginger and black tom shut his mouth.

"Boredom isn't an excuse for doing dangerous things," Whistlebird reprimanded.

"What would have happened if that patrol wouldn't have been CavernClan cats?" Spikefang added. "What if it had been RoseClan? There's no way they would give you back easily!"

"I know, Dad," Spiderkit began, but he cut her off.

"You obviously don't know, seeing as you did such a foolish thing!"

"That's enough, Spikefang." Whistlebird mewed to her mate. "I think they've heard enough for one day."

The ginger and black warrior looked at the dark gray queen, his eyes wide in disbelief. But as the thought settled in his eyes dialation died down, he nodded at her, muttering under his breath.

"Promise me you won't do it again." Whistlebird fretted, touching her nose to all three kits' muzzles with worry in her eyes. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost either," she sent a look to Spikefang as if to indicate him as well, "of you."

"We won't, Mom," Rustlekit mewed, blinking up at the dark gray queen.

"We're sorry," Jaykit murmured, hanging her head in shame of herself.

That left her.

Spiderkit swallowed, gulping back the rebuttal she had prepared against her parents' words. She sighed, looking down at her paws as she vowed her word to her mother, knowing that if she ever broke it, Whistlebird would surely find out.

"I promise."

**;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;**

There was a warrior in the den with a cool expression on his face.

Spiderkit looked away from where Rustlekit and Jaykit were wrestling with Whiskerkit and Featherkit to gaze up at the large tom. With a broad stature and strong build, the tom towered over her like a crow; but he smelled of CavernClan, so she supposed that was a good sign. His white pelt glowed brightly in the sunlight that streamed through the den, and his dark eyes - a cerulean blue - were shaded with the contradiction of something Spiderkit didn't know.

"Whistlebird," even the tom's voice was dark and mysterious.

Her mother's fur brushed against her side, allowing her to know that the dark gray she-cat had directed her attention to him. "Blacktail? What brings you here?"

So that's who he was; Blacktail, one of the senior warriors along with Duskpaw's mentor.

"Ivystar wishes to speak with you. Duskpaw and I will accompany you, as I need to speak with her about his training as well."

Whistlebird rose to her paws and touched her tail-tip to Spiderkit's side. The black and gray tabby kit looked up at her mother, wondering what was going on. "I'll be back," she murmured, purring lightly to seem cheerful, "keep your brother and sister in line for me while I'm away."

With a final look, the dark gray she-cat padded after the pure white warrior, leaving her kits alone in the nursery with just Flamepelt and her kits.

Spiderkit allowed her mind to wander, thinking back to not even a whole day ago; merely a few hours, when she and Duskpaw were sitting out in the entrance of the nursery. It seemed like a lifetime ago now that they had been out there, gazing up at the stars while grass swayed beneath their paws. Spiderkit felt herself being taken by the memory, captivated by the retelling of the not-so-long-ago present.

_You can't go back to the past, and you can't stay in the present... All you have left is go towards the furture that may or may not come true. _

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><p><strong>Kinda boring, but it was all I got without spoiling. ;-;<strong>

**This next beginning of Chapter Three is going to be Ivystar-Whistlebird-Blacktail-and-Duskpaw discussion time :3 Yes, lil' Duskie will have a role, hopefully XD. **

**Merry Christmas, my readers! **

**Author xx**


	5. Part One : Contributuon - Chapter Three

**I have news!**

**Nikki and I are traveling to Russia over Christmas to finish up the adoption process of our nine month old baby Aurora; she's so adorable, you guys! I'll give you a description of her as soon as we get back!**

**Guess who is cancer free... This guy!**

**That's all my news :) Happy Holidays, my readers!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

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><p><em><strong>Part One : Contributuon <strong>_

_**- Chapter Three -**_

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><p><em>"You wanted to speak with me?"<em>

The CavernClan leader looked cooly at the dark gray queen before her. At her sides were Blacktail and Duskpaw, the two toms that had accompanied her for whatever reason. "I did indeed, Whistlebird."

The dark gray she-cat twitched an ear, blinking quizically at her. "What about?"

She sat back on her haunches, eyeing Whistlebird. "Multiple things, dearest. But mainly someone very close to you - someone whom you wish were alive right now while you were up in StarClan."

Whistlebird's lips drew back in a snarl. "You wouldn't dare -"

"But I do. I want to discuss your brother, Whistlebird - I want to discuss Dashpaw's unsolved death."

"You promised the Clan - you promised _me _- that we'd never speak of it amongst ourselves, Ivystar."

The CavernClan leader flicked her tail absentmindedly, flashing a smile at the enraged she-cat. "Yes, well... plans change through the course of a lifetime."

"It hasn't been a lifetime yet - it's only been -"

"I know it's only been five moons," Ivystar deadpanned, feeling annoyance boil in her veins. "But the matter is still fresh on every cat's minds - we can't go on without having this unsolved."

"It's already solved," Whistlebird growled. "He's dead."

Her gaze drifted to the queen's sides, where Duskpaw and Blacktail sat. Duskpaw's muzzle opened to speak, but with a sharp look from Blacktail the dark brown tabby snapped it closed.

Ivystar redirected her attention to Whistlebird, sensing the she-cat's growing rage. "I'm doing what is best for the Clan - I'm giving them answers I feel only you will know."

"I don't know anything," Whistlebird growled, lashing her tail; it hit Duskpaw's muzzle, but the tom didn't seem fazed.

"The Clan thinks you do. Think about it, Whistlebird: you were closest to Dashpaw - you were his littermate, for StarClan's sake! Of course the Clan is going to assume you knew what was happening! You even defied against your parents at his vigil - that's certainly suspicious."

"He was being tortured within his own head," Whistlebird retorted sharply, "How was I supposed to know what was going on when I didn't see it?"

"Shouldn't the savior of StarClan themselves see everything that goes on - even in a cats head?"

"That's different than the physical."

"Mmm, so it is," Ivystar mused, watching as Whistlebird's eyes narrowed upon her. "But the question still remains - do you know what happened?"

"She said she doesn't know, Ivystar. Just leave it at that."

"Duskpaw," Blacktail warned his apprentice, sending her a look that said, _I apologize, Ivystar. _

But the dark brown tabby ignored his mentor and rose to his paws, defiance in his eyes. "Just stop with the accusations, Ivystar! Whistlebird said she doesn't know what happened - why are you pushing her to tell you something even she doesn't know?"

"That's enough," Blacktail growled, rising to his paws and padding to Whistlebird's other side so he could cuff his apprentice over the ear. But Duskpaw leaped out of the way, causing Blacktail to bat at nothing but air and curse at StarClan for giving him such a stubborn apprentice.

Ivystar looked at the apprentice calmly, though a seething rage was hiding behind her eyes. She looked to Whistlebird and muttered, "You can go now. We will continue this at a later date." before turning her full attention on the dark brown tabby tom.

Blacktail shoved his apprentice to the side, and his dark eyes were pleading. "I - I'm so sorry, Ivystar," he glared at Duskpaw from the corner of his eye as a growl hinted with his tone, "I had no idea my apprentice was so unmannered."

Ivystar flicked her tail, cutting him off. "It's all right, Blacktail," she purred, and she heard Duskpaw whimper; excellent - this is how she wanted him: cowering in fear instead of defiance. "If you would please step out so Duskpaw and I can have a word alone?"

Blacktail dipped his head, turning and padding out of the den. Before he was fully outside, he growled at Duskpaw and cuffed the tom over the ear, whispering fiercely to him. With a final glare at his apprentice, the white tom disappeared from sight.

"You know she doesn't know what happened."

Ivystar turned her gaze to Duskpaw, watching his tail-tip twitching at his side. She let out a purr, blinking at him softly. "My dear, you don't understand... When a murder occurs, there's at least one cat who knows what went on. That cat, in this case, is her. She knows everything that went on - what the mind did to him and how he ended up with those gashes on his body; she knows it all! She just doesn't want to speak... She thinks that if all is silent and submissive, the Clan will forget about the entire thing."

Duskpaw's eyes flashed. "You're seeking out answers from a blind cat - what she doesn't see, she doesn't know."

"But Whistlebird is not blind, young tom. See, this game she's playing...this con she thinks we are fooled by simply isn't an act of fear - it's an act of defiance. She wants us to think she wasn't aware; she wants us to fall under the crack of her pity... She wants us to feel sorry for her pitiful lies, when she knows that we know the truth!"

"You're insane," Duskpaw meowed, his tail curling around his paws tightly.

Ivystar peeled her lips back in the form of a snarl. "You are a defiant little one, aren't you?" she let out a hiss, narrowing her eyes, "I should have known, with you being born to Beetletooth and Wildfur...such defiant cats, they are - why was I not assuming their offspring would be the same? Foolish of me to think that I wouldn't have some defiant and intolerable cats in this Clan..."

"I would've thought you knew - considering you gave birth to my mother."

Ivystar let out a cry fo rage, swinging back her paw and slamming it into the dark brown tabby's face; she heard skin tear and Duskpaw mewl in pain, doubling over and hissing. The black and gray she-cat felt blood, slick and warm, on her claws; she let out a purr, feeling victorious as she stood over the young tom.

She leaned close to Duskpaw, whispering in his ear, "Don't test me, dearest - because next time, it won't just be a scratch..."

**;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;**

"Stop fidgeting."

Duskpaw groaned as Talonswipe smeared more poultice on his shoulder. The stuff reeked of some weird herbs, and the dark brown tabby wanted to gag on the stench. Shortly after Ivystar had sent him out, Blacktail had lumbered over to him and demanded he apologize to her about sticking up for Whistlebird. Duskpaw merely growled at him and Blacktail let out a hiss, cuffing him over the ear again - this time without his claws sheathed; it had created a small, yet noticable mark on his ear.

"She's the enemy, Duskpaw," Blacktail had growled once Duskpaw stopped raging about the pain in his ear.

Duskpaw had stepped muzzle-to-muzzle with his mentor and snarled directly in his face, "Take a look at your own leader before you dare and call Whistlebird an enemy."

He had quickly padded away then, coming into the medicine den where he now lay in a nest, having rotten-smelling poultice smeared along his shoulder and ear-tip.

"The stuff smells horrible," Duskpaw commented gruffly to Talonswipe.

The medicine cat let out a chuckle, his amber eyes burning Duskpaw's pelt. "I'll try and make it smell better next time, then."

"Uncle Talonswipe!" the delighted purrs of kits came into Duskpaw's ears, and he heard Talonswipe purr under his breath.

Three heads peeked around the lichen that swung from the entrance; he recognized the trio as Whistlebird's kits - Rustlekit, Jaykit, and Spiderkit. Rustlekit's dark green eyes - much like his fathers - weren't very hard to comprehend, and Jaykit's fluffy gray fur was almost making her seem twice her size; Spiderkit's elegant features and sleek tabby fur were so unlike her siblings, which made her even more -

Duskpaw shook his head, blinking rapidly in spite of himself. _Get yourself together, Duskpaw! She's a kit - a senior warriors kit, at that! You're an apprentice - don't moon over a kit!_

Talonswipe's voice cut into his thoughts: "What is it, kits?"

Rustlekit padded into the den, causing his two sisters to tumble to the ground; Duskpaw realized that they were much shorter than he was, and thus the two were most likely standing on his back in order to see over him. Jaykit grumbled under her breath and entered after him, Spiderkit waltzing in as if she owned the entier den.

"We just wanted to say hi!" Jaykit mewed as she shoved her brother roughly with her shoulder, glaring at him. Rustlekit's dark green eyes were humoruous and he let out a fake squeal of pain, to which Jaykit took it literally and purred in delight, thinking she had hurt him.

Spiderkit ignored her siblings and padded over to him, sitting directly in front of him so that their eyes met. "What'd you do?" she asked, inclining her head to indicate his shoulder and ear.

"Oh, um..." Duskpaw racked his brain for a dumb excuse. "I was walking through a bush and didn't notice the rocks that lead down into camp, so I fell and scratched myself up."

Spiderkit rolled her eyes, smirking. "You're an idiot."

"Thanks. It takes a lot of skill to be one."

"I can tell," she purred, the light shaking of her shoulders letting him know she was laughing inwardly, "you seem to do it pretty well. You should teach me."

"All right," he teased, feeling laughter well up inside him as well. "Lessons start tomorrow at dawn."

"I don't wake up that early," Spiderkit mewed.

Duskpaw scoffed, staring at the gray and black tabby. "You don't? Ha! Way to make me laugh, Spiderkit."

The smirk on her face got bigger. "I'm just that humorous."

They both erupted into a laughing fit, Duskpaw having to bury his muzzle between his paws in order to keep himself from howling. Spiderkit somehow couldn't hold herself upright any longer and toppled over, her tail waving in the air as she giggled mercilessly. The act of it made Duskpaw laugh harder, and soon both of them were out of breath from the ordeal.

Spiderkit rose to her paws and settled back down in front of him, her eyes darkened with suspicion. "What'd you _really_ do, Duskpaw?"

Duskpaw looked at his paws, his ears flattening to his head. "I was defiant against Ivystar - for a good reason!"

Spiderkit gasped, and he looked at her to find her eyes wide and her tail upright. "You were going against Ivystar? Duskpaw, you really are an - "

"I was protecting your mother." he quickly finished, and Spiderkit's eyes calmed with her tail curling around her paws.

"Protecting her with what?"

"He was protecting her through kindness, Spiderkit." came Spikefang's deep voice.

Duskpaw averted his attention to where the powerful ginger and black tom was coming into the den. His dark green eyes were watchful and alert, and his pelt was slightly bristling, but once he saw his kits the fur flattened and his eyes changed to nothing but pure love. Spiderkit rushed to meet him, purring loudly and rubbing muzzles with him; her siblings followed her lead, doing the same as she had - purrs were now all around Duskpaw, and the dark brown tabby couldn't help but purr himself.

"How do you protect someone through kindness?" he heard Spiderkit ask as she was picked up by Whistlebird, who now stood next to Spikefang with her three kits in her jaws.

"You just do," Whistlebird mumbled around their scruffs, turning and padding out of the den. Duskpaw watched as Talonswipe and Spikefang exchanged a look, and then with a silent farewell Talonswipe exited the den.

He felt Spikefang's eyes burn his pelt, and feeling defensive Duskpaw meowed, "If you're going to lecture me on how I wasn't supposed to defend her, then -"

"It's not about that, Duskpaw."

He raised his gaze to the ginger and black warrior, confusion sparking his fur. "Then..."

"I want to thank you for sticking up for her," Spikefang meowed. "StarClan knows Blacktail wouldn't do it for a hundred mouse tails - thank you, Duskpaw. You have no idea how much that meant to both of us."

Duskpaw nodded, blinking at the warrior. "It was nothing, really. I was just fed up with Ivystar, I guess." He shrugged, dismissing his thoughts.

Spikefang padded towards his nest and settled down on his haunches, resting his tail against the edge of Duskpaw's nest. "You know, I think you have an admirer."

"Really?"

A light of amusement flashed in Spikefang's eyes. "I do. My youngest, Spiderkit, has taken a liking to you - maybe even more so than any other warrior or apprentice."

Duskpaw's heart soared.

"I'm going to tell you this once, Duskpaw. To make a cat fall in love with you, you have to be strong - you have to be there for them during the good and the bad...you have to be at their side through everything - otherwise, it's not love." The tom rose to his paws and padded towards the entrance, his tail high in the air.

He suddenly stopped and looked back at Duskpaw, a small and childish smile on his face.

"Follow that and you'll get my daughter - I have no doubt about it."

With a wink and a small laugh, Spikefang was gone from sight.

* * *

><p><strong>So some advice from a father... and a slightly-insane Ivystar!<strong>

**How will this next chapter play out? What'll happen to Spider and Dusk? AGH SO MANY QUESTIONS. **

**Regards,**

**Ben xx :)**


	6. Part One : Contribution - Chapter Four

**Back already, am I?**

**Yep. Your lives can begin now XD. Just kidding!**

**AUTO CORRECT HATES THE WORD CONTRIBUTION I SWEAR TO GOD.**

**I realized that writing for Duskpaw and Ivystar is super fun :D. Should I include them in the POVs? Drop your answer in your review and let me know! :D **

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p><strong>Part One : Contribution <strong>

**- Chapter Four - **

* * *

><p><em>Her head was filled with Duskpaw. <em>

Literally, all she did was think about him. When she ate with her family, she thought about him; when she played mossball with Whiskerkit, she thought of him; heck, when she slept at night she thought of him. So, Spiderkit did what she felt was right in a situation like this:

She went right up to him, made him lean down to her level as if she were to whisper something, bopped him on the nose and ran away.

It was a stupid thing to do - but it was cute, nonetheless.

"Hey, Spiderkit!"

The gray and black tabbys thoughts were interrupted by her brother yowling _right in her ear. _She turned and hissed at him, her ears twitching as she growled, "I'm right here! What?"

Rustlekit had a smile on his face - one that made fear crawl up Spiderkit's spine. "Your little admirer is outside," he sing-songed, trotting around her in a circle.

Spiderkit shoved her brother roughly with her outstretched paw, causing him to fall over into the dirt and get his pelt all dirty. "He's not my admirer, mousebrain." she mewed, looking back at him and giggling as she got a look at his fur. "Oh, by the way - you have something all over your pelt!"

"I hate you," Rustlekit grumbled as Spiderkit padded out of the den and into the warm sunlight that streamed down on the camp.

Duskpaw's dark brown pelt wasn't hard to find in the barren camp; most cats were out on patrol or basking in the sunlight, but Duskpaw was different. He was sitting in the very center of the clearing, a mouse at his paws; his eyes were intent on gazing around the camp, obviously trying to appear natural. Only when Spiderkit approached him did his eyes avert to her, a clear pool of happiness flooding them.

"You came," he commented rather solemnly, and Spiderkit knew he was trying his hardest not to jump to his paws in joy. "I didn't think you would."

"Well, thanks," she mewed, rolling her eyes sarcastically.

Duskpaw nudged the mouse at his paws towards her, asking, "Do you want some?"

Curious, Spiderkit sniffed the prey; it smelled musky, like forest and pine. She shrank back, feeling her stomach grow queasy, yet not wanting to seem cowardly she nodded and leaned forward, taking a small bite out of the morsel. It was rough at first, but as she chewed it grew softer, and soon she was purring in delight as it went down.

"I'll take this, seeing as you don't seem to like it," Duskpaw mewed, bending to take the mouse back in his teeth. Spiderkit leapt at him, her small paws holding his muzzle down just an inch from the prey.

"I'll claw you," she warned, baring her teeth. Duskpaw's eyes flashed with laughter and fake fear and he stepped back, allowing her to finish what she wanted and then taking the rest for himself. She watched him as he licked the scraps from around his muzzle and then proceeded to groom his paws, drawing one behind his ear and nonchalantly looking around camp again. "You're an awkward tom, you know."

His dark eyes snapped to her, a purr tingling her paws as the ground rumbled from the sound. "I'm sorry I'm so awkward," he meowed, twitching an ear. "I try not to be."

"It doesn't work," she mewed, pawing at his muzzle.

"Sorry," he apologized, pretending to be downtrodden and placed his head on his paws.

Spiderkit let out a purr, pawing his muzzle again. The fur was soft around his eyes, but grew wiry down towards his nose; she bopped him on the nose again, and this caused Duskpaw to sneeze. Spiderkit purred loudly and her whiskers twitched in amusement as the dark brown tabby had to groom his paws again in order to get his sneeze off of them.

"Do you do that to every cat?" he asked, flicking her on the ear with his tail-tip.

She shook her head, her eyes bright. "Nope," she mewed, emphasising the 'p'. "I only do it to you because you're probably the only cat that takes it nicely."

"You're lucky I do," Duskpaw teased, "otherwise you'd be in shreds by now!"

"You wouldn't do that!" she mewed, looking at her paws. Sheepishly, she peered up at Duskpaw and asked, "Would you?"

A soft purr trembled in Spiderkit's chest as Duskpaw shook his head, a small smile on his face.

"I'd turn myself in if I did that," he meowed, nudging her with his nose. "To any cat, really, but I wouldn't turn myself in as fast. You, on the other hand -"

"Duskpaw!" shouted Blacktail from the warriors den. The tom's eyes were narrowed and he looked annoyed at the world from where Spiderkit could see him. "Training with Westpaw, now!"

She heard Duskpaw sigh and rise to his paws, grumbling under his breath. She turned to the dark brown tabby tom, her eyes hopeful as she mewed, "You'll come visit me sometime, right?"

Duskpaw nodded, the smile on his face growing wider as he ran out of camp after his mentor. She watched him leave, her heart seeming to fold in on itself and wither to nothing but a shallow beating object, giving her the life she needed in order to see him again.

**;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;**

"What's got your tail in a twist?"

Blacktail rounded on him, his blue eyes blazing. "You should be training and fighting for you Clan - not doting upon some kit!"

"I do train and fight!"

Blacktail growled low in his throat, and Duskpaw felt fear shoot up his spine. "You do, yes - but not good enough! Westpaw can easily outbeat you in any sort of task - fighting, hunting, swimming...the whole works! You do nothing but dote and dawdle on that pest of a kit all day and it's slacking off your training!"

Duskpaw sized up his mentor, anger rushing through him. "That pest of a kit is Spiderkit, mind you. She isn't a pest, either! She's my friend, Blacktail - or am I not allowed to have friends while I'm your apprentice?"

"You'll be my apprentice until I'm up in StarClan if you don't pick up your slack," Blacktail snarled. "No apprentice of mine gets away with poor skills - I train my apprentices to train and fight to the best of my knowledge, so that way when I'm gone in StarClan some cat will know my ways and teach their own apprentices well."

"Some mentor you are," Duskpaw hissed, lashing his tail. "Seeing as all of your apprentices die within three moons of becoming a warrior!"

Blacktail lashed out a paw, striking Duskpaw across the face; luckily his claws were sheathed, so he didn't recieve any scratches. Blacktail shoved Duskpaw up against a tree, his teeth bared and eyes wild. "It was his own doing to die so shortly after he woke up - Dashpaw was an idiot, a foolish cat. Never in my life had I recieved such a idiotic apprentice!"

Duskpaw tore Blacktail's paw from his neck and landed on the ground, hissing at the white tom.

The craze in Blacktail's eyes calmed for minute and he sighed, closing his eyes. "Listen to me, Duskpaw: Love is a foolish game, brought on by lies and betrayal. You think you love that kit? You're fooling yourself, Duskpaw. Love sucks - it will decieve you in the darkest time possible, cornering you until you can do nothing but be tortured by the emotions that come with love - happiness, joy... love will kill you faster than a snake bite; it's what causes most cats to die: they love too much and find themselves buried six feet under not long after. Dashpaw might have been an idiot, but there was no telling that he didn't love stronger than any cat I know. He wasn't killed by the voices in his head - he was killed by love, as natural as dying in his sleep."

Duskpaw stepped back, shocked by how sincere and painful Blacktail's voice had sounded. "Blacktail, I..."

"No," Blacktail meowed, blinking sadly at Duskpaw. "Enough of that. Come on, let's go; Westpaw and Grasswillow are probably wondering where we are."

**;.;.;.;.;.;.;.**

"Let all cats that know how to climb gather beneath Highstone for a Clan meeting!"

Spiderkit jerked beneath Whistlebird's tongue, excitement fizzing at her paws. "Oh, hurry up Mom!" she pleaded, wriggling her haunches on the ground, "I want to go and see!"

"See your own apprentice ceremony?" Rustlekit scoffed from beside her; the ginger and black kit's fur was smooth and glossy, freshly groomed by his mother's tongue.

'You'll be in it, mousebrain!" chided Jaykit lightly, nudging Spiderkit playfully.

Spiderkit purred with glee as Whistlebird's paw let go of her tail. With a squeal of delight, the three siblings shot out into the clearing to admire the gathering cats; Ivystar stood high up on Highstone, looking down on them with a brightness in her yellow eyes.

"I ask that Jaykit, Rustlekit, and Spiderkit come forward at this time." Ivystar bellowed, and the three of them did as they were told, the gazes of the entire Clan and their parents on them as they moved towards their leader. Ivystar leaped down from Highstone and placed her muzzle on each of their heads briefly before speaking. "From this moment on, these three cats will be known as Jaypaw, Rustlepaw, and Spiderpaw. I ask that their mentors step forward and complete the ceremony!"

Three cats emerged from the crowd; one was Russetflower, who stepped up beside Rustlepaw. The second was Talonswipe, stepping up beside Jaypaw with eyes bright as the sun. That left her, the only apprentice without a mentor...

That was when she saw her step up beside her, her black and gray pelt making them seem as one cat with two heads.

"Russetflower, Talonswipe," Ivystar meowed, pleasure in her eyes, "I hope that you will pass on all you know to your apprentices, and may the warrior code guide them on the path to become great cats CavernClan can be proud of."

Ivystar turned to Spiderpaw, leaning forward and bumping noses with her. At once, blood was suddenly edging Ivystar's pelt, her claws stained with crimson; her teeth were barely noticable, and her eyes were wild. At her paws lay one cat she recognized all too well, and Spiderpaw drew away from her mentor, her tail fluffing out in fear.

"Spiderpaw?" her mother's voice was at her side, and her father's pelt brushed against hers, supporting her as she crumpled to the ground under the weight of all the blood, the gruesome sight of her leader slaughtering another cat...

"Dashpaw..." she murmured as she felt her weight come off the ground for a sheer moment before being rested back in a nest somewhere. "She... Ivystar..."

"Ivystar what?" Spikefang's voice entered her subconcious, and Spiderpaw willed her mind to not blank out on her yet.

"She..."

"Spiderpaw!" Duskpaw's voice now came with Spikefang's, and Spiderpaw cringed at the stress coming into her mind, pounding and ppunding against her skull.

As her world faded to nothing but white, she screamed as Ivystar's image flashed before her dulling vision:

"Ivystar killed Dashpaw!"

* * *

><p><strong>Uhm. Yeah, that... ;-;<strong>

**Now the plot is starting to come into play :D Yay!**

**See you all later, and Happy Holidays!**

**Author xx**


	7. Author's Note - Read At Own Risk

**Hey, guys. **

I'm so nervous right now that I am literally sweating... *sigh*

So it's Ben here, if you didn't know that by now... I've been thinking a lot this past week and a half, and I feel that I should share this with you all; I share everything else with you - from my diagnosis of cancer last year up to going to Russia for Aurora - so why not this?

*deep, deep breath...wiping sweat from forehead*

**All right. Here we go. **

This past year has been a whirlwind of emotions and problems - cancer, relationships, family... It's all been a year of hell. College has been kicking my ass and I am so overwhelmed with everything that has been going on that I can't handle it all. I go to college and hell ensues; I go home to my husband and hell ensues because things aren't done as they should be; I call my sister and hell ensues because she wishes to blabber about her no-good-asshole of a husband that she can't see past her own eyes and notice that he's a di-

Sorry - I got carried away.

I come on FanFiction, however, and hell does _not _ensue. In fact, hell doesn't exist here; it's all nice and calm, as it should be.

But lately I haven't been feeling the calm and nice on here; I feel as if people are against each other for things that shouldn't be happening on a website full of aspiring writers.

I've been getting private messages from some authors on this website - all of which I used to have as readers as Petalwish. They say that I've changed, and it's not for the better; it's apparently for the worst. They claim that I've switched myself from this wonderful happy-go-lucky guy who writes for the enjoyment of his fans to some 21-year-old guy who now writes for the sake of publicity - and that is not, under any way, true.

Yes, I've changed - I've changed myself from a young writer who just wants to be heard to a writer who allows others to have a voice. I suppose that is just my own personal thinking, but I think I let most of my reviewers have a voice - I think my reviewers look up to me in some way, just as I do them.

Now that might sound totally wrong and prejudice, but I think that way; whether or not you guys, as my reviewers do is your own way. I'm not one to judge that.

**This part is going to sound so, so bad - but I want you all to know this... I know it's Christmas and I really shouldn't be putting something sad like this on my story, but I just can't help it : **

I don't think I belong here.

Honestly, I don't think I belong on FanFiction... I'm a writer in the making - I have been since I was 18. Now that I'm 21, I just... I just don't think I'm any good; my stories are ones that others have created - I'm just putting my own little twist on them. Then I get punished because I have people messaging me, telling me that I have copied someone else's story; my account has been banned more than once because of this and I caused it myself.

I write dark; dark and sad... And it helps me with my own emotions, but I really don't know how it affects you all - maybe you were having a really shitty day and saw that I had posted a chapter on Hanging Tree or something and decide to read it, only to find out that it's super sad and grim... I often ask myself after I post:

"Did I just make someone's day better or a hell lot worse?"

Usually I feel like I've made it a hell lot worse.

I'm been so down this last week and a half - I'm sure it shows in this message... I just don't know what to do - I think I'm giving up on my hope of one day inspiring you all...

I don't want to give up on that; I would love to one day look back and say to myself long after I'm off this site, and perhaps one of you are published or something, "I inspired her/him..."

But my hopes are slipping drastically and I don't think I can pull myself up any farther than what I have.

**Life just really sucks for me right now.**

I'm sorry for posting this not even twelve hours before Christmas is here.

I'm sorry for letting my emotions get to me and having me write this.

I'm sorry for everything.

I'm sorry for **letting you all down.**

But I just don't know what else to say or do...

I suppose the only positive thing to say is...

**Regards and Merry Christmas,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p><em><strong>I am not quitting on you - don't you dare quit on me.<strong>_

_**I love you all. **_

_**Forever and always, got it? **_

_***hand heart through screen***_

_**Until 12/28/14 or 1/?/15...**_

**_~ Ben_**


	8. Part One : Contribution - Chapter Five

**Has it been quite a while since I last updated? Well, not that long, but it feels like forever!**

**I am so, so sorry you guys! I had a lot of stuff on my plate - finals, Nikki getting a cold for three days straight then passing it onto me, having Aurora in the home and having family come over showering her with little things... Argh, I'm sorry!**

**I guess I never told you what my little gal looks like, did I? My sincerest apologies, I'll get right on this:**

**Essentially, Aurora (or as I call her, Rora or Rookie) has pale skin and looks like a little China doll! :D She's got soft light brown hair, and big pale, pale blue eyes! They're beautiful to look at, I swear! She's so adorable - I'm not kidding you; I'll be sitting on the couch with her on my lap and I'll be making weird faces at her and she'll just laugh the cutest laugh ever! **

**So that's my Rora. :3 I'll have to put up her picture as a profile picture for one of my stories er something so you all can actually see her!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p><strong>Part One : Contribution<strong>

**- Chapter Five - **

* * *

><p><em>"Ivystar killed <em>_Dashpaw!"_

The entire Clan - inside the medicine den and outside - went dead silent, and Duskpaw felt his blood grow cold. He looked to the other five cats at his right, noticing their wide eyes and shivering pelts; Whistlebird's face was paling, and Spikefang shook his head in disbelief. Jaypaw and Rustlepaw looked at one another a few times, as if trying to comprehend what their sister had just said amongst themselves; Talonswipe's eyes were flashing with emotions, a whirlwind of confusion and anger.

The dark brown tabby tom looked down at his paws, scuffing them against the ground. Why had Spiderpaw said that? What had flashed in her mind to make her sense such a thing - their leader killing off her uncle? The idea sounded insane to Duskpaw.

The silence was interrupted by the shivering of the den entrance - and there, in all her bashful glory stood Ivystar. Her eyes weren't troubled, angered, or even confused; they were calm and collected, as if the whole ordeal hadn't happened and she was perfectly fine.

Duskpaw heard Whistlebird growl low in her throat, followed by Spikefang's sharp hiss of, "You murderer!"

Ivystar's tail twitched at her side, and Duskpaw sat down on the ground beside Spiderpaw's head, aware that the she-cat was slowly beginning to wake from her fainting episode. "Murderer?" Ivystar sounded shocked, as if she had no idea why her warrior was accusing her of such a thing.

"You killed our uncle!" Jaypaw and Rustlepaw hissed, their eyes narrowing upon their leader.

Talonswipe said nothing, only sat and watched the entire ordeal go down.

"You piece of fox-dung," hissed Whistlebird from behind Duskpaw, and the dark brown tabby was mentally preparing himself to leap at the dark gray she-cat if things got out of control between her and Ivystar. "You killed my brother! You're the reason behind his death! I want you dead - I want you up in the Hanging Tree for what you have done!"

Ivystar let out a purr, and fear began to sneak up Duskpaw's spine. He reflexively placed his tail on Spiderpaw's paw, to which the groggy she-cat didn't dare move; she herself was watching them both.

He sensed the entire Clan - inside the den and out - was watching and waiting for Whistlebird's howl of rage, followed by Ivystar's scream of agony as she was mercilessly killed.

Wasn't that what everyone wanted now - now that they knew?

"Wait," he whispered to himself, feeling as if the entire thing had paused in his head. It didn't make sense! None of this made sense!

His muscles tensed as he heard four cats behind him rise to their paws and stalk forward, and at this particular moment his mouth had no filter. He flung himself to his paws and yowled as loud as he could, "Stop!"

The growls, hisses, and snarls halted and all eyes were turned on him. Whistlebird's one of rage, Spikefang's one of curiousity, Jaypaw and Rustlepaw's one of confusion, and Ivystar's one of pure delight.

"Duskpaw?" Spiderpaw mewed from behind him, and the dark brown tabby forced himself not look back at her. He had to remain in tact - he had to remain strong for as long as his voice would allow.

But his eyes betrayed his willing, and he found himself staring directly at Spiderpaw and asking, "What exactly did you see, Spiderpaw?"

The black and gray tabby's eyes grew wide, as if she weren't expecting such a demanding question. "I..." she struggled to find words to complete her sentence, "I... I d - don't know. It was a blur - all I saw was blood and a dead body... I - I thought that I saw..."

She faltered off, trailing into the silence Duskpaw knew wasn't needed in such a moment.

He turned to her parents and siblings, his tail twitching behind him. "See? She doesn't know what she saw - she thought she saw Ivystar; that doesn't mean she did. She probably just saw a flash of gray and thought it was Ivystar... or something."

The only sound in the den was breathing; the unbearable ring of quiet was about to pound in Duskpaw's ears when Talonswipe finally spoke:

"He has a point."

The silence stopped in both the den and out in the clearing, as if the long, anticipated answer was finally spoken by the medicine cat.

Whistlebird nodded solemnly, and Spikefang's eyes were sparking with respect; Jaypaw's pelt was fluffed out in anger, but it rested now against her frame; Rustlepaw's dark eyes weren't glistening with rage - instead they were content, shadowing his previous anger.

He heard Spiderpaw murmur under her breath, "Good job, you awkward tom."

His attention was averted to the front of the den, where Ivystar sat with her tail around her paws. The CavernClan leader was purring up a storm, and Duskpaw felt words exiting his mouth at a rapid speed, "What are you purring about?"

Ivystar rose to her paws, a smile on her face as her icy yellow gaze travelled over all the cats in the den, stopping on him and Spiderpaw. She turned, winked at them and murmured, "You two...just you two..." and left the den without another word.

_Let her enjoy it. She won't be for long. _

* * *

><p>The next few hours were a blur to Spiderpaw.<p>

Aside from resting, all the black and gray tabby had been doing was eating and messing around with her brother and sister in the medicine den. Her parents had left on patrol specifically ordered by Fleecefur - and although the aging tom wasn't as quick on his feet as he used to be, Spiderpaw knew that when he gave an order, you did it.

Duskpaw - oddly enough, as opposed to Rustlepaw or Jaypaw - spent almost any free moment he could manage with her. Talonswipe would often send the tom off to something productive, and reluctantly the dark brown tabby would listen to the black tom and walk off to go on patrol, hunt, or just bask in the sunlight with newleaf brought to them this moon.

Now the sun was beginning to dim, the sky turning a sullen orange-and-pink mix. Spiderpaw sat outside the apprentices den, sharing a finch with Jaypaw, who had been relieved of her task of sorting herbs with Talonswipe to go and eat. Duskpaw lay on the earth a little ways from her, chattering like a blackbird to Westpaw and Rustlepaw; she heard Westpaw's snide comment of, "You're so full of youself..." followed by Rustlepaw's hearty laugh. Duskpaw smirked at both their reactions, his sharp fangs glowing in the dying sunlight; Spiderpaw took note of how his paws were folded under his belly and his tail was neatly resting at his side.

A gray blur was waving in front of her eyes for a moment, before a paw smacked her muzzle. Spiderpaw jerked out of the paws way, only to hear Jaypaw's purr of amusement. Spiderpaw glared at her sister and Jaypaw shrugged, a smile on her face. "I was just helping you," she mewed innocently.

Spiderpaw opened her muzzle to reply when Ivystar's call rang around the clearing: "CavernClan! Gather beneath Highstone for an important announcement!"

Cats from all around the camp rose to their paws and were quickly gathering at the base of Highstone. Spiderpaw felt Jaypaw's pelt leave her side as the pale gray she-cat padded off to sit beside Talonswipe outside the medicine den; Rustlepaw, Westpaw and Duskpaw all trotted away from her to settle themselves at the far end of the clearing. Spiderpaw sighed and, with a heavy heart, rose to her paws and walked over to the other apprentices, squeezing herself between Westpaw and Duskpaw. She felt Westpaw glare at her from the corner of her eye while Duskpaw merely nodded at her, not making eye contact.

A hushed silence passed over the Clan as Ivystar began. "Icestar and Willowstar have decided to hold a full Gathering with all the Clans. CavernClan will join them in the first Gathering we have had as one since the losses of cats within their Clans and our own. Fleecefur and I have talked, and we have made a decision as to whom is accompaning us to this occasion - Beetletooth, Wildfur, Stealthshade, Shadowwind, Spikefang, Westpaw, Duskpaw and Talonswipe." The CavernClan leader flicked her ears, her eyes passing over all the cats. "We leave now, while the moon is still rising."

She leaped off the Highstone and took off up the rocks, her patrol following as their tails disappeared into the darkness beyond the hollow.

* * *

><p>The only way Duskpaw could describe the clearing was empty.<p>

There were barely any cats from both RoseClan and FernClan; each had about three warriors and their medicine cats. As Duskpaw settled onto his haunches at the back of the CavernClan cats, he realized that his Clan was the biggest group - with four warriors, two apprentices and a medicine cat, there was no doubt the other Clans were envious of their numbers.

"It's practically dead," Westpaw muttered to him. Duskpaw nodded, not meeting the white she-cat's eyes.

_Empty..._

_Empty..._

_Emp - _

"Duskpaw!" Westpaw growled, prodding him with a claw. The dark brown tabby looked at her, his amber eyes seething with unspoken annoyance.

"What?" he demanded. _I'm not in the mood for you and your constant blab, Westpaw!_

"Stop staring at the RoseClan cats and pay attention!" she growled, jerking her head in the direction of the leaders. "Ivystar is about to go!"

Duskpaw rolled his eyes at his fellow denmate and turned his muzzle up towards the Speaking Tree, where the three leaders of the Clans were perched in the highest branches. Ivystar's black and gray patched fur blended in well with the foilage, while Icestar's gray and white pelt stuck out blandly. Willowstar's pelt was hard to see in the darkened edges of the tree, but her blue eyes were the only thing Duskpaw could see well.

Ivystar padded out into the space where Icestar had previously been, where there were no leaves or branches to block cats' view of them. Her eyes scanned all the cats, inclusing the leaders and her own Clan; Duskpaw felt his insides coil in a knot as his leader opened her mouth to speak.

"CavernClan is delighted to join RoseClan and FernClan on this night after so many moons of isolation." She looked at both Icestar and Willowstar, dipping her head at them respectfully. "I trust that everything is going well in your Clans under your leadership." her gaze was averted back to the cats below her, and a small smile appeared on her muzzle. "Today my Clan welcomes three new apprentices - Rustlepaw, Jaypaw, and Spiderpaw; born to Whistlebird and Spikefang. Though they could not be here tonight as one of them had an -" the smile widened and her eyes darkened. "- _accident_ back at camp, they are here in spirit - as any cat would be."

"Jaypaw! Rustlepaw! Spiderpaw!" the RoseClan and FernClan cats bellowed to the sky; only a few CavernClan cats joined in on the call, while the rest remained silent with their eyes narrowed and tails bristling.

Duskpaw heard Spikefang growl from in front of him to Wildfur, "Blasted she-cat..."

Ivystar waited for the cheers to dim before speaking again. "As you all know, it has been nearly nine moons since the Battle of the Flower Hollow, to which we lost two cats in CavernClan during that battle - Hollowstar and Tangleburr."

_Come on, _Duskpaw willed silently. _Mention Dashpaw! _

"We also lost one more, though it was not during the battle - it was within his own mind. We lost Dashpaw as well to the voices in his head."

Duskpaw heard a few mutters from the RoseClan cats next to him, and the loud yowl from a FernClan cat - "I always knew that tom was insane!"

The clearing went silent, the CavernClan cats sitting rigid in place with their eyes trained on the cat who had spoken - a solid gray tom. Duskpaw recognized him as Grayfur, one of the FernClan cats that had challenged to fight him one day while on a border patrol.

Even Ivystar herself was shocked at the outburst, while Icestar was looking angered at his warrior. "Silence, Grayfur," he ordered, and then turned to Ivystar, quickly adding, "I'm sorry, Ivystar. My warrior is obviously not -"

"You fox-heart!" hissed Stealthshade from the very front of the CavernClan cats.

"How dare you?" Wildfur, Beetletooth, and Shadowwind snarled, their fur fluffing out in anger.

Duskpaw held his breath, waiting for Spikefang to comment on the matter. He watched as the ginger and black tom rose to his paws and walked towards Grayfur, his pelt flat against his frame. Duskpaw noticed how hard Spikefang was trying to keep his cool, but didn't bother to comment.

"Ivystar," he meowed, sharing a look with his leader. Her eyes flashed with pride and she nodded, and immediately the CavernClan cats began to stalk up towards the solid gray tom, backing Spikefang with their every move. Duskpaw felt himself rising to his paws but not moving an inch; he simply stoof there, frozen in place and watching his Clanmates corner Grayfur like they would prey.

He heard hisses and growls from them, followed by a scream of rage by Spikefang.

Everything then seemed to happen in slow motion.

He watched as cats all jumped at Grayfur, snarling and hissing in anger. He heard Spikefang yowling things that were incoherent from where he stood; he heard Grayfur's limbs being torn from his body, followed by Grayfur's yowls of agony. The FernClan cats simply sat away from the rage, their eyes wide in fear. He could make out the blood-red stained faces of his Clanmates, the flashing of bloodied fangs in the moonlight, and the overall clumps of flesh and gray fur being torn and tossed around like a mossball.

Finally, the cats pulled away. Some limped, some leaned heavily on others, while some just had nicks and scratches.

In the first shockwave, Duskpaw simply stared at his Clanmates. Their fur was bloody, their claws stained crimson; but their eyes shone with pride, as if the duty was nothing more than killing off prey.

In the second shockwave, the FernClan cats stared at the CavernClan cats. Icestar and Willowstar were looking at Ivystar in horror up on the Speaking Tree, but the CavernClan leaders eyes were flashing with a whirlwind of emotions; pride, hurt, and overall happiness.

The clearing went silent. No cat moved, no cat spoke; silent and dead, just like Grayfur now was.

When the third shockwave hit, the silence was broken as a cat screamed. It was a high-pitched wail, almost like a kit's cry to its mother. It took Spikefang pressing him into his black chest fur, murmuring the words, "It's okay... It's over now..." to make Duskpaw realize that it was him who was screaming.

* * *

><p><strong>So... Yeah...<strong>

**That. **

**This story is now getting darkk! Yayy! :D**

**Until next update,**

**Author xx**


	9. Chapter Six

**Heyoo. :3**

**I've been sick all day with a stomach bug... Hopefully it'll go away, but I haven't eaten anything since 11 AM today ;-;...**

**Anyways, let me get this chapter underway. :D**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p><strong>- Chapter Six - <strong>

* * *

><p><em>Paws pounded on the rocks, and <em>silhouettes began to form against the darkened sky. Spiderpaw raised her head from her paws, watching the Gathering patrol wind their way down into the center of camp. Careful not to disturb her siblings who slept peacefully beside her, the black and gray tabby sidestepped the two and made her way towards them, sniffing the air for any scents unknown to her.

The scent of blood, cold and thick on every cat's pelt, hit her hard.

Cats clambered from dens at this moment, their eyes wide and wondering. Spiderpaw guessed everyone coming out of their slumbers hadn't anticipated the idea that perhaps tonight, the Gathering would draw blood - for whatever reason. She watched as her mother made her way out of the warriors den behind Russetflower and Quailfeather. Almost immediately, the sleep died from both her and Russetflower's eyes; Russetflower ran to fetch Talonswipe while Whistlebird began yowling for Spikefang at the top of her lungs.

Her father's ginger and black pelt was hard to distinguish beneath the moonlight and darkened rocks at his paws. But his dark green eyes were the main thing Spiderpaw looked for, and at hearing Whistlebird's anxious mew of worry, she knew her parents had been reunited. She felt Jaypaw's and Rustlepaw's pelts brush against her hurriedly as they ran towards their parents, purring and brushing pelts.

Cats immediately began asking the Gathering members questions, and soon the one that everyone was anticipating was brought up: "Why do you all have blood on your fur?"

Spiderpaw watched as Ivystar finally made her way down into the hollow, followed by Duskpaw. She took note of how, out of all the Gathering cats, they were the only two without blood on their fur. Ivystar's eyes were glowing with pride in her Clan, while Duskpaw's were dull with fear and uncertainty; she met Duskpaw at the bottom of the last rock down into camp and pressed her muzzle into his shoulder, trying to calm him with her presence. The uncertainty died down to a dull simmer in his eyes as they settled on her own, but the fear was still bright and obvious. Spiderpaw wondered what in StarClan had happened at the Gathering - but she was sure she was about to find out.

"Excellent - you're all here!" Ivystar meowed as she leaped up onto Highstone and immediately began talking. "The Gathering went quite well, for the most part -"

"We've noticed," Spiderpaw heard Grasswillow grumble from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder at the tabby tom and noticed he was sitting worriedly next to Westpaw, sniffing at her from time to time. She recalled that Grasswillow was Westpaw's father, and no one in the Clan knew who her mother was; many thought it was a rogue, and although Grasswillow didn't protest to the rumor, Spiderpaw guessed that it wasn't a rogue - maybe he just didn't want to tell the Clan.

"Until Grayfur of FernClan decided to ruin it!" shouted Shadowwind from the base of Highstone. She was sitting beside Fleecefur, keeping watch of the frail tom while Talonswipe checked all the other cats for harmful wounds. The Gathering members all yowled in agreement, Spiderpaw picking out her father's loudest of all.

Ivystar calmly waited until the yowls died down before speaking again, her gaze hardening. "Yes, Grayfur did proceed to call out a dead Clanmate - once I mentioned Dashpaw among our deceased, Grayfur decided to bellow out -" she paused, took a deep breath and tried her best to mimick the solid gray tom's voice, "'I always knew that cat was insane!'. The clearing had grown silent at this time, and CavernClan took matters into their own paws at the order of Spikefang."

All eyes turned to the black and ginger warrior, who was sitting at the far end of the clearing having cobwebs patched onto his fur. His dark eyes were clear, shining with pride in himself; his head was high in honor, and Spiderpaw knew her father felt that what he did - whatever it was - benefitted the Clans as one whole.

"Grayfur is now in StarClan," Ivystar's mew directed a fireball of fury at Spikefang.

"You murderer!" growled Grasswillow and Quailfeather, their tails bristling.

"Exile!" demanded Russetflower and Redfire, eyes narrowed into slits.

"Sinful tom!" snarled Flamepelt at her former apprentice.

Spikefang's head remained high; his eyes remained clear, and his tail curled neatly over his paws as he took all the hateful words being thrown at him calmly.

Spiderpaw flicked her ears and wondered aloud, "Why didn't cloud cover the moon, making the entire thing bad?"

The howls of rage inflicted upon Spikefang died to nothing as Spiderpaw's words sunk into their minds. The black and gray tabby crouched against the ground, feeling the eyes of all her Clanmates on her pelt.

"Excellent question, Spiderpaw," Ivystar purred at her apprentice.

Spiderpaw cringed at the pride hinted in her tone.

Ivystar waited until she had every cat's attention before continuing, "Willowstar, Icestar and I - along with our medicine cats - have been conversing for a moon or so about the recent calmness in StarClan. We have come to the conclusion that StarClan has gone silent and is unable to reach us from down in the living world."

Cats gasped in horror; Spiderpaw looked to her uncle and Jaypaw, hoping the black tom would protest. Talonswipe simply sat there and nodded at Ivystar's words, confirming them as fact.

"Talonswipe, if you would elaborate?" Ivystar asked. Talonswipe nodded at his leader and rose to his paws, his eyes clear as day.

"StarClan hasn't given me any signs in the past several moons," he said peacefully. "Neither Firefang nor Spottedtail have recieved any indications that StarClan is responsive. All three of us, along with our leaders, have been watching this go on for about three moons before deciding to meet and discuss the issue. We all have stated our opinions, and all settled on one: StarClan is silent, and we aren't sure when they will return to watching over our Clans."

"That, CavernClan," Ivystar finished, "is why cloud did not cover the moon at the Gathering - StarClan has left us to fend for ourselves!"

* * *

><p><em>StarClan has left us to fend for ourselves!<em>

Duskpaw shuddered as Ivystar's words repeated in his head, and the dark brown tabby furrowed his forehead as he prowled through the forest on hunting duty. He stomped through the undergrowth, wind tugging at his long pelt.

_I just don't get it!_ Duskpaw let out a small growl of distaste. _Why would StarClan abandon us in a time like this - when we need their guidance the most for whatever reason?_

A loud _snap!_ startled Duskpaw and the dark brown tabby leaped about two feet back from his previous standing point. There, a twig lay on the ground snapped in two parts; Duskpaw regained his composure and padded towards it, prodding it heatedly with a paw. It snapped again and again with each prod, until finally it was nothing more than scraps of wood, able to get in between a cats' paw if they stepped in that spot. Stuffing the pieces under a holly bush, Duskpaw walked along the treeline, aware that prey was all around him and waiting for him to pounce.

"Duskpaw?"

The ten-moon old apprentice whipped around at the sound of a voice, growling and lashing out a paw. The terrified squeal of the cat rang in his ears as his unsheathed claws raked the breeze that ruffled his pelt. Duskpaw was suddenly toppled over and pinned to the ground weakly, and the dark brown tabby hissed in rage. He looked into the darkened blue eyes of a brown and gray tom and immediately stopped his rampage, sensing he had frightened him.

"Whiskerpaw!" he growled, and the young tom flinched. "What in StarClan are you doing?"

Whiskerpaw leapt off of him, sitting on the ground with his forepaws awkwardly spread in front of him. "I - I thought that you could use a hunting partner," he murmured, his gaze flitting from one side of him to the other.

"Why would I need a hunting partner?"

Whiskerpaw's muzzle paled at Duskpaw's blunt question. He lifted himself onto his hind paws and smushed his front paws together, his ears flat to his head. "W - Well, I didn't think you were catching anything, s - so I thought that I - I would help you get something...like I did."

Duskpaw now looked down at Whiskerpaw's tail, where a small finch and mouse lay dead on the ground. "You hunt well," he remarked casually.

Whiskerpaw dropped down onto all fours again, excitemet in his eyes. "O - Oh, thanks Duskpaw!" he purred, blinking warmly at the dark brown tabby.

Duskpaw nodded solemnly and whisked around, beckoning the brown and gray apprentice with his tail. "Come on," he meowed, "I'll teach you how to hunt squirrels better than Fleecefur can!"

* * *

><p>"Are you sure I didn't hurt you?" Featherpaw fretted, her large blue eyes flashing with worry.<p>

"I'm positive, Featherpaw," Spiderpaw consoled the young she-cat, though the sharp pain still burned in her back leg whenever she put weight on it. "It doesn't hurt at all."

"I tackled you pretty hard, though!" Featherpaw mewed, her ears flat to her head. "I've probably broken your leg!"

"Featherpaw," mused Quailfeather, her mentor, from behind them. "calm down. Talonswipe will take a look at it when we return to camp!"

"I'm sorry," Featherpaw mewed quietly. Spiderpaw let out a sympathetic purr and nudged the soft gray apprentice with her shoulder lightly, feeling Featherpaw's soft and long gray pelt feel odd against her wiry, short fur.

A sudden flash of white appeared at the corner of Spiderpaw's vision, and the black and gray tabby looked over her shoulder, her ears pricking. She shrugged it off and padded farther into the forest, Featherpaw in front of her and their mentors behind. The flash appeared again, stronger this time; Spiderpaw dropped back to the end of the group, allowing Featherpaw to lead them home. She waited until the three she-cats had disappeared beneath a large pine tree before dashing into the foilage of a bush, her breathing light and soft.

The flash appeared once more, and Spiderpaw lauched herself out of the bush, careful not to lose sight of it. It led her into another bush just outside the camp entrance, and Spiderpaw smelled the scent of yarrow and nudged a few berries out of the way as she nosed herself into the foilage.

A darkened shape appeared just out of reach. Spiderpaw lashed out a paw and swiped at the shape, and immediately a cat appeared, its fur shimmering like starlight and eyes glowing like a thousand suns. Spiderpaw let out a scream, backing away as far as she could without toppling out of the bush; the cat did the same, backing away until thorns pricked its starlight-flecked pelt.

"Who are you?!" Spiderpaw demanded. "And... And why are you in a bush?!"

"I should ask you the same thing!" the cat shrilled.

"I'm in this bush_ because of you_!" Spiderpaw exclaimed. "A - and I'm from CavernClan, just on the other side of here!"

The star-flecked cats eyes grew wide. "CavernClan? You're from _my _Clan?"

"Your Clan? It's mine!"

The cat snorted loudly, waving its tail. Spiderpaw felt rage boil in her belly but forced herself not to react.

"You're funny, she-cat," the cat purred. "What's your name?"

"Spiderpaw," Spiderpaw responded meekly before directing the same question back at him. "What's yours?"

A pelt materialized on the starry cat; his features became more prominent, and his eyes darkened into a dull shade of amber. Spiderpaw's muzzle slowly dropped open as she saw his fur turn from star-dotted to gray and brown.

"You're..." she trailed off, at a loss for words.

The tom raised a paw up to his face and looked at his unsheathed claws, studying them. "Hello, Spiderpaw. I'm Dashpaw, your _crazy _uncle."

* * *

><p><strong>Wow, I actually followed through with a plot! :D<strong>

**I'm pretty proud of my past few updates - they're each over 2,000 words! :3**

**Until next update,**

**Author xx**


	10. Chapter Seven

**First off, Happy New Year! It's now 2015 :D. **

**I haven't forgotten about this story - more so... neglected it a tad. :/**

**Anyways, here is the poorly written chapter... It's really short, but it's all I could think of. My brain is swimming with exhaustion...**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

* * *

><p><em>"Hello, Spiderpaw. I'm Dashpaw, your crazy <em>uncle."

She stared at the brown and gray patched tom before her, her eyes wide in shock. Her pelt ruffled at the edges and her heart beat rapidly against her ribcage, making Spiderpaw feel strangely weak; she could feel her legs trembling beneath her body weight, as if they were no longer supporting her the way she needed them too.

"B - But... But you're - "

"Dead?" Dashpaw's gaze was taken from his claws and met hers; they pierced her fur like fire, causing the gray and black tabby apprentice to hiss and draw farther away from him. She felt her heartbeat quicken, felt sweat beginning to form on her fur; what was happening to her? "Well, that's true - I am dead."

"Then..." Spiderpaw raised a paw out of confusion. "Then h - how can I see you?"

A cruel smile - just like his eyes - grazed the brown and gray tom's lips. "The same way my sister - your mother - can: by intellect." he rose to his paws and began to saunter towards her, the smile growing bigger until it was a full-out grin; his eyes glimmering with malice and his tail flicking calmly behind him, as if the ordeal were nothing more than casual conversation.

"I -Intellect?"

Dashpaw's eyes flashed, and Spiderpaw's tail was suddenly clamped to the ground by an unknown force; the she-cat whipped around, hissing and trying to pry her tail away. It wouldn't budge, and each time she tried Spiderpaw felt herself growing overwhelmed. "Yes, intellect," he responded to her question after a moment of watching her struggle, "Whistlebird, as daft as she is, can see any spirit of StarClan - Bluestar, Snowfur...heck, even the great Firestar! "

"But...but how can that be?" Spiderpaw wondered aloud, still looking at her tail.

Dashpaw's paw was cupping her chin, dragging her eyes back to his; the same malice still burned there, but another emotion had been placed as well - it was working together with the malice, swimming and coiling around in his dark golden-amber irises. "Oh, sweet Spiderpaw..." he cooed to her like she was a kitten again, "she's the Savior of StarClan - how else would she be able too?"

Spiderpaw growled and shoved the tom's paw away from her, feeling her skin searing with an unforgetable warmth; it left a tingle, the oddest sensation on her. Dashpaw's cruel eyes were darkening, brimming with the light only produced by the emotions within them.

"You see, dearest," Dashpaw meowed, not even giving Spiderpaw time to say anything, "All my life, Whistlebird was the one who got attention - my parents' blood boiled within both of us, but it only seemed to make Whistlebird more favorable. She was a pretty she-cat, as you know - she got everything she ever asked for, no matter what it was. If she wanted something, she got it - it was something I never received in all my years of life.

"Your mother was doted upon and loved deeply, while I was the one who was mistreated - told to go play with the other kits when there were none to begin with...told to hush while Whistlebird slept and my parents were talking louder than blackbirds...told to go fetch some fresh-kill for myself while my father brought it for both my mother and Whistlebird..."

The fire burst in his eyes before he closed them, causing a wield of rage to be spat right in Spiderpaw's face.

"I got nothing - nothing! I was hated, ridiculed, and picked on for not being like my perfectionist sister!" Dashpaw suddenly laughed, one that sent chills up Spiderpaw's spine. "But she wasn't always that perfect - that moment the elder Husktail came in and talked to us about the Hanging Tree, she stopped being the perfect daughter, the perfect warrior - she was nothing then." His eyes met Spiderpaw's once more, the grin now wider than ever.

"I was _glad_."

"But Mother said that you were - "

"To the Dark Forest what your mother said!" Dashpaw snarled, baring his fangs right at her muzzle. "I was glad she stopped talking - no longer was she perfect, the glorious daughter of Vinestep and Whisperfang - she was the _daughter scared beyond belief by a simple elder's tale! _It was laughable beyond comprehension - and to this day, even as I'm dead I still get a kick out of it."

Spiderpaw felt her heartbeat pcik up drastically the closer Dashpaw got to her; she felt her mind swimming with blur, trying to cling onto whatever she had left. The world began to sway beneath her paws, and she let out a low moan of drowsiness and exhaustion, watching as Dashpaw let out a laugh that rang in her ears long after it was gone.

"Wha..." Spiderpaw mewed, trying to get words to spill out of her mouth; her throat suddenly went dry, as if a sharp dust-filled wind had blown through the bush and forced her words back down.

"What's happening to you?" Dashpaw's eyes flashed and a sharp pang collided with Spiderpaw's chest; the black and gray tabby sank to the ground, feeling air grow scarce around her.

Warmth was now against her cheek as Dashpaw pressed his paw against it; it left her body feeling numb, unable to respond to the commands her mind was giving.

_Move, Spiderpaw! You're gonna get hurt if you don't get out of here!_

Suddenly, a loud scream erupted from Dashpaw and the tom staggered back, the warmth of his paw leaving Spiderpaw's cheek; the she-cat silently rejoiced as she could feel her limbs again and rose to her paws, blinking at her uncle in horror.

Dashpaw was writhing and tearing at leaves on the inside of the bush, yowling and screaming as if he were in pain. The words were jumbled at first, and every so often Dashpaw would twitch as if he had some sort of problem. The words finally registered in Spiderpaw's mind, and the she-cat tipped her head to the side in wonder.

"Master, please! I - I'm sorry!"

The tom twitched, and a solid gray cat with coal-black eyes met Spiderpaw.

_"You failed me, Dashpaw!" _shouted the cat, its voice not sounding like her uncle at all; it suddenly twitched and Dashpaw was himself again, his eyes blurring with tears of pain and horror.

"Please, Master! I beg of you - don't do this!"

Another twitch; the other cat.

_"Failure!"_

Twitch - Dashpaw.

"Stop it! You're hurting me!"

Twitch - the other cat.

_"Does it look like I care? You need to be taught a lesson, you __imbusle!" _

Twitch - Dashpaw once more.

Spiderpaw watched as her uncle began to dig his claws into his skull, crying out as they began to cascade down - all the while making bloodied gashes. His eyes looked as if they were going to pop out of his head, and his jaws were parted as far as they could go; Spiderpaw wanted to help, but thanks to Dashpaw's magic her tail was still clamped down to the ground.

"You won't take me!" Dashpaw screamed in agony as he tried to resist twitching - but it failed him in the long run and soon Spiderpaw was met, yet again, with the solid gray cat she didn't know the name of.

_"You foolish tom! I already have!" _

Darkness began to pool around the cat's paws, and a gust of wind went upward, buffeting the cats' fur against its frame as it cackled menacingly. Spiderpaw squinted her eyes, grunting as she tried to see out of the harsh windstorm and the darkness now encasing the cat.

"Spiderpaw!" Dashpaw's voice came into her subconcious, causing the she-cat to jump. "Run!"

The magic was suddenly off her tail, and Spiderpaw followed her uncle's advice and shot out of the bush, racing back to camp just as the bush radiated a gust of black smoke, sending all of the Clans into a darkened abyss.

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><p>The cat watched as the small pitiful cat ran down into the hollow, her tail twice its size as fear radiated off her pelt.<p>

The cat let out a cruel laugh, smiling down at the darkness it had grasped the Clans in.

"Yes, little cat... Run back to your home and warn them... But it's not match for me!"

The cat could feel its powers returning; it swelled up inside, making the cat's heart pound harder and muscles grow stronger. A sudden flash appeared before the cat and a large cresent moon mark appeared on its head, glowing with the blackness of death.

"Because now, little kit, the real Shadow Vortex has begun..."

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><p><strong>Oh snap! What the heck has Spiderpaw - and Dashpaw - gotten themselves into? <strong>

**I've been watching Yu-Gi-Oh all day, so yes I based this chapter off of it. Sorry :/**

**So heyyy, any of you recognize the creepy kitty at the end? I hope the Dashpaw part was enough angst and torture for you :3. **

**Sorry I had no Duskie in this chapter - hopefully the next one will! **

**Regards,**

**Author xx c:**


	11. Chapters Eighineten (End of Part One)

**Guess who's back? :D This guy!**

**Here's this next chapter - I hope you enjoy!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx **

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><p><strong>Chapter Eighineten (Eight, Nine, and Ten all combined into one!)<strong>

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><p><em>It was strange - the things Duskpaw thought he remembered sometimes.<em>

_On normal average days, Duskpaw would always find himself laughing; laughing about the latest news with the other Clans, a dumb joke Rustlepaw had played on Westpaw and Whiskerpaw, or even just for the heck of it. Laughter always found a way into Duskpaw's voice - it always came through when he needed it..there was something Duskpaw could always laugh about._

_Though lately, he hadn't been finding himself laughing as much as he used too; in fact, he would remain straight-faced throughout any ordeal - no matter the circumstances or major bursts-out-laughing of it all. On most occasions he would trail off, wondering what in StarClan he found so funny - no matter if any cat had spoken to him, done something stupid or gossiped about the other Clans. _

_But then someone - Westpaw, Spiderpaw, whoever - would cut into his mind, asking what was wrong. Duskpaw would snap back to the present, smiling at whoever had spoken and assuring them with a wave of his paw that he was fine - that he was just spacing out. The cat took the bait and turned back to its previous task, leaving Duskpaw to fend for himself as the wandering came back to his mind and seized him once more; often than not, it was almost always stronger the second time. _

_The whatever-it-was just beyond his reach continued to haunt him, reminding himself that he wasn't happy, even if he thought he was... But he maintained that same straight-faced expression, that same rigid posture...something - anything - to make himself seem untouchable by the slightest emotion. _

_On walks by his lonesome, Duskpaw did his best to avoid the treelike that hung over CavernClan's heart of territory - that would lead him to RoseClan camp and eventually the Blackpath, where Monsters prowled all day every day. _

_But one night, when the moon was just at its peak in the sky...the overall sheer terror and haunting atmosphere drew Duskpaw over the edge, and he found himself facing the glowing white lights of his fate - the fate he had chosen for himself commonly known as death. He thanked StarClan that his Clanmates had been there - among them was Westpaw; the pure white apprentice hauled him away just as the Monster whizzed past him, nearly taking off Duskpaw's pelt. As the rest of his Clanmates headed back to camp after being reassured by both Duskpaw and Westpaw that they were fine, Spiderpaw muttered something that left Duskpaw fazed - _

_"I don't know what goes on in your head, Duskie..." she trailed off as Duskpaw, being the idiot that he was, just snorted and made a snide comment in response. Then, the nickname she had said sunk into his mind, causing Duskpaw to look at her for the first time since she had saved him. _

_She was looking back, her eyes darkened by the moonlight that shimmered on her pelt - she said nothing to him...only blinked once. _

_He stared at her, jaw open in a silent gape. _

_Twice. _

_"Westpaw..."_

_Three times. _

_Her eyes closed and she sucked in a breath, seeming to gain courage and strength from the air. Her ears flattened to her head as she said:_

_"...but trust me when I say that I wish I did."_

_Her eyes opened, revealing the deep blue that made Duskpaw's heart accelerate. _

_The dark brown tabby simply placed his own eyes on the sky, sighing as a breeze - light and delicate, just like Westpaw - ruffled his pelt. Leaves swayed about the pair, tingling Duskpaw's paws as they brushed against the fur. "Trust me..." he murmured, turning his head and gazing at her with the full intent on making his point go across - _

_"You don't want to know." _

_He hadn't known those were the last words they ever exchange as a cat leapt out of the shadows, struck Westpaw by the throat and flew off into the night, never to be seen again. _

Hatred.

_He looked down at his trembling paws, feeling his claws extend from between his paws as a growl escaped his throat._

Fear.

_He stood there, waiting and waiting for the murderer to come..._

Grief.

_Duskpaw needed to get this bastard - whoever he was - a taste of his own blood only produced by kill._

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><p>He gasped in horror, forced back to the present. His eyes were wide in terror; his breathing was hitched and ragged; his pelt on edge and teeming with boiling rage. He instictively looked down at his paws, turning them over and over again - seeing if anything, something of Westpaw remained on him.<p>

Nothing.

His paws were damp with sweat - paws that had never killed any cat; murderer or not.

That vision - it had come back to him yet again.

What was he thinking? Why was this haunting vision embedded in his head?

More importantly, _why couldn't he remember?!_

Duskpaw felt like an amnesiac, as if he had indeed forgotten every aspect of his young life in just that short while. But then again, if he were one, shouldn't every other cat be one too? Duskpaw shook his head, feeling the thoughts bearing down on his mind painfully - he squeezed his eyes shut and forced his pain down, braving it under a mask of exhaustion.

"You're looking quite..._dapper _today, Duskpaw."

The dark brown tabby looked up into the eyes of Ivystar - his leader and Spiderpaw's mentor. She appeared to be both confused yet joyful; though her features didn't reveal it, her eyes did. Duskpaw rose to his paws and dipped his head to her. "Thank you, Ivystar," he mewed pleasantly.

"Have you seen Spiderpaw?" Ivystar suddenly asked, taking Duskpaw off guard. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen her all night - where was she?

The question was answered as a shriek sounded from the top of the hollow, followed by a gray and black blur against the rocks that led into camp. Duskpaw recognized those dark blue eyes anywhere - Spiderpaw had returned!

"Spiderpaw!" he shouted, meeting her at the base of the rocks. Her eyes were wide, her pelt ruffled and she was still screaming and writhing, trying to get away from him. Duskpaw cornered her against the cliff-face, fear clawing at his heart for her. "Spiderpaw, what's wrong?"

"Run!" Spiderpaw shrieked to the Clan, whom had all stopped their duties to watch them. "It'll slaughter us all!"

"It?" Whistlebird's calm voice entered Duskpaw's head, and her soft fur brushed against his as she took his place in trying to calm her daughter. "What's it, Spiderpaw?"

"_That!_" Spiderpaw jabbed a paw up at the sky, and turning his head Duskpaw saw the 'it' in its horrifying glory.

A large black smoke ring was encircling the camp, not going down in the hollow but concealed the area around it. Cats began to gasp, run around and hiss in horror, all looking to Ivystar - who happened to be standing in the center of the clearing with her eyes trained on her panicking apprentice and not on the sky.

"Ivystar -" Duskpaw shouted as wind began to swirl at all of CavernClan's paws, "Look!"

The black and gray leader followed his order and drew her eyes up to the sky, and she too shrieked in terror. She sent one glare to all of her cats before racing to her den, cowering inside the sheltered place while her Clanmates ran and panicked about her.

The black smoke suddenly parted - for a short while as a gray shape appeared atop the hollow. It bore nothing around its neck, nothing on its pelt but gray fur; eyes only a coal-black...

A crescent moon-shaped mark on its forehead was disturbing to Duskpaw - he had a bad feeling about this. The mark suddenly began to glow, and time seemed to stop; cats fell to the ground, their eyes dazed and clouded as if in a trance - only Duskpaw and Spiderpaw remained upright, unfazed by the timewarp.

"What's going on?" Duskpaw growled, lashing his tail. "Who are you?"

The cat suddenly spoke, and a voice that wasn't one Duskpaw had heard before bellowed out: "My name isn't needed here," it said, blinking its cold black eyes.

"Stay away!" Spiderpaw mewed, her voice cracking with fear. Duskpaw longed to step in front of her...to protect her, but knew she could take care of herself. "We don't want you here!"

"You might not," said the cat, "But I do!"

Black suddenly captured Duskpaw in a chokehold and he was sent flying upward so that he met the cat's cruel eyes. It had a sneer on its face, and its eyes were gleaming with triumph; Spiderpaw was suddenly beside him in the same way - only she was struggling.

"Stop struggling, you weakling," muttered the cat, "It'll only make you die quicker."

Spiderpaw stopped, growling.

"What do you want with us?" Duskpaw asked the obvious question that hung in the air.

The cat pursed its lips before smiling again - this time grinning from ear to ear. "You'll find out later, little one..." It closed its eyes and Duskpaw was suddenly transported to a place he didn't know - where muck lined the trees and it rank of death.

"Welcome," said the cat as the chokehold let up on Duskpaw and Spiderpaw, allowing them to fall to the ground. Duskpaw glared up at the cat as smoke fizzed about them, creating a mist.

"...welcome to the Shadow Vortex!"

"Let us go!" Spiderpaw cried, her eyes wide in fear.

The cat let out a cackle, the sound ripping through the air like lightning. "Never, you idiot! There's no way out...

You're stuck here - _forever_!"

* * *

><p><strong>END OF PART ONE... -+-<strong>

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><p><strong>Quite eventful, eh? <strong>

**Okay, I'll explain so I don't get rotten tomatoes thrown at me later -**

**Basically, Spider and Duskie were transported to the Shadow Vortex - my own personal version of Hell in this series. :3 In this chapter you, as the reader, were faced with the overall horror that I can write. ;) It's quite bad horror, I know, but still horror... **

**Confusing, indeed... What will become of our two protagonists? **

**Sorry this chapter was so poor - but I've been waiting to write this scene since I started this book - even back when I was writing the Hanging Tree. :3 **

**Now it's here, though, and given the circumstances I plunged everything for the next three chapters into one giant one! **

**Thank you for reading - sorry if I've disappointed you!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx c: **


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